GunPowder Indian Restaurant & Bar

About GunPowder Indian Restaurant & Bar

GunPowder Indian Restaurant & Bar brings authentic Indian cooking to 53 Victoria Street in Christchurch's central city, under the care of owners Vishnu Seth and Vivek Gujral. Between them, the two bring more than ten years of experience in Indian cuisine and hospitality, and they've built Gunpowder around a simple idea: bold spices, timeless recipes, caring service and food that feels welcoming, memorable and made with heart. It's one of two Gunpowder branches in Canterbury — a sister restaurant operates in Amberley — and this City Centre dining room pairs the kitchen with a fully stocked bar.

The menu is broad and confident. A charcoal tandoor anchors the cooking, turning out tandoori chicken, murghi tikka, fish amritsari, king prawns, paneer tikka, soya chaap tikka, malai broccoli and ginger-spiced lamb chops, with sizzling platters stacking the best of the coals onto one plate. The chef's signature list leads with Murg Makhani (butter chicken) and runs through hariyali paneer, baigan bharta, a creamy Goan fish and prawn curry, and the aromatic rogan josh family of lamb rogan josh, lamb shank and goat curry. Classic curries from the pot — tikka masala, korma, jalfrezi, vindaloo, madrass, saagwala, kadai and mango — come with chicken or lamb, and a seafood section does the same with prawn or fish. Vegetarian diners get a full column of their own, and a dedicated vegan menu covers vegan butter chicken, chic saag, jalfrezi and more. Every main is served with basmati rice.

Practically speaking, Gunpowder is open seven days: weekday lunches from 11:30am to 2:00pm, dinner from 4:30pm (until 9:30pm Sunday to Thursday, and until 11:59pm on Friday and Saturday). Between services the kitchen takes a break, so time your visit around the gap. The restaurant welcomes locals, travellers, business guests and families, caters functions and events, sells gift cards for the City branch, and takes both online orders and table bookings through its website. Diners with dairy-free or gluten-free requests are asked to speak with the duty manager.

GunPowder Indian Restaurant & Bar: Charcoal Tandoor Indian Classics on Victoria Street, Christchurch

On Victoria Street in Christchurch's central city, GunPowder Indian Restaurant & Bar cooks the kind of Indian food built on bold spices and timeless recipes — served in a warm dining room with a bar alongside. It's one of two Gunpowder branches in Canterbury, with a sister restaurant in Amberley, and it keeps generous hours: weekday lunch, dinner every night of the week, and late-night service on Fridays and Saturdays.

A Flame Forged in Tradition

Gunpowder is the work of owners Vishnu Seth and Vivek Gujral, who bring more than ten years of experience in Indian cuisine and hospitality between them. Their stated recipe is simple: authentic flavours, caring service and a personal dining experience for every guest, underpinned by hard work, family values and a love of sharing good food with the community.

That philosophy shapes who the restaurant sets its table for. Locals, travellers, business guests and families looking for a special meal are all named in the welcome — Gunpowder is pitched as a place where food should feel welcoming, memorable and made with heart.

From the Charcoal Tandoor

The charcoal tandoor anchors the menu. Alongside tandoori staples — tandoori chicken, murghi tikka, tandoori king prawn and fish amritsari — the kitchen grills less common tandoor fare: paneer tikka, soya chaap tikka, tandoori mushroom and tandoori malai broccoli, all marinated in yoghurt, spices and fresh herbs before meeting the coals. Ginger-flavoured lamb chops come three to a serve.

For the full effect, the sizzling platters stack the tandoor's highlights on one plate. The Gunpowder Sizzling Platter pairs lamb chop, fish amritsari, tandoori prawn and chicken tikka, while a veg platter and a mixed Gunpowder Platter do the same job for other appetites. Lighter starters range from vegetable samosas and onion bhaji to chilli chicken, cheese chilli and honey chilli cauliflower.

Signature Curries and the Pot

The chef's signature list leads with Murg Makhani — butter chicken, which the menu calls the most popular Indian dish, cooked in a mild butter sauce with a touch of fenugreek. It sits beside hariyali paneer in spinach gravy, baigan bharta of tandoor-roasted eggplant, a creamy Goan fish and prawn curry, and the aromatic cinnamon-and-cardamom family of lamb rogan josh, lamb shank and goat curry.

Beyond the signatures, Curries From the Pot covers the classics most diners scan a menu for — tikka masala, korma, jalfrezi, vindaloo, madrass, saagwala, kadai and mango — each available with chicken or lamb. A separate seafood section offers prawn or fish in saagwala, malabari, madrass and masala styles. Every main comes with basmati rice.

Vegetables, Vegans and Rice

Vegetarian diners get a full column rather than a footnote: dal makhni, tarka daal, paneer makhni, kadai and matar paneer, mushroom masala, veg jalfrezi and korma, kadai chaap, aloo gobi and butter vegetables. A dedicated vegan menu goes further still, with vegan butter chicken, vegan chic saag, vegan jalfrezi, vegan mixed vegetables and vindaloo chaap. Rice runs from plain basmati to jeera rice, peas pulao, Kashmiri pulao and biryanis in vegetable, chicken or lamb.

The Experience

Gunpowder operates as a restaurant and bar, so the dining menu is joined by a separate drinks list. For tables that would rather not deliberate, the Gunpowder Banquet flows from a starter of samosa, onion bhaji and Gunpowder special tikka into a main of each guest's choosing, with basmati rice and plain naan across the table. The restaurant also caters functions and events, sells gift cards for the City branch, and takes both online orders and table bookings through its website.

The rhythm of the day matters. Lunch runs 11:30am to 2:00pm, Monday to Friday; dinner serves from 4:30pm until 9:30pm Sunday through Thursday, and stretches to 11:59pm on Friday and Saturday. The kitchen closes between services, so time your visit around the afternoon gap. If you're dairy-free or gluten-free, the menu asks you to raise it with the duty manager — and the vegan menu covers plenty of ground on its own.

Signature items

• Murg Makhani (Butter Chicken)
• Gunpowder Sizzling Platter
• Tandoori Lamb Chops
• Goan Fish & Prawn
• Vegan Butter Chicken
• Gunpowder Banquet

Menu

Vegan

• Vegan Butter Chicken — Plant-based take on the house-favourite butter chicken.
• Vegan Mixed Vegetables — Mixed vegetables prepared vegan.
• Vegan Chic Saag — Plant-based chicken in a saag gravy.
• Vegan Jalfrezi — Jalfrezi-style curry, fully vegan.
• Vindaloo Chaap — Soya chaap in vindaloo-style curry.

Banquet

• Gunpowder Banquet — Starters of samosa, onion bhaji and Gunpowder special tikka, then each guest chooses one main, served with basmati rice and plain naan.

Starter

• Gunpowder Sizzling Platter — Two pieces each of lamb chop, fish amritsari, tandoori prawn and chicken tikka, served sizzling.
• Veg Sizzling Platter — Two pieces each of vegetable samosa, onion bhaji, paneer tikka and tandoori mushroom.
• Gunpowder Platter — Two pieces each of lamb chop, spicy gunpowder chicken tikka, vegetable samosa and onion bhaji.
• Vegetable Samosa — Potatoes, peas, cumin seeds, spices and herbs in homemade pastry, deep fried; two per portion.
• Onion Bhaji — Crispy onion fritters mixed with herbs and chickpea flour; three per portion.
• Cheese Pakora — Indian cheese layered with coriander, dipped in chickpea batter and fried.
• Honey Chilli Cauliflower / Potato — Marinated cauliflower or potato with mustard and spices, fried and tossed with maple syrup.
• Crispy Potatoes — Deep fried and salted chunky potatoes.
• Crispy Chicken — Chicken dipped in ginger, garlic and flour paste, deep fried, served with creamy sauce.
• Cheese Chilli — Paneer with ginger, garlic, cornflour and soya sauce, then fried.
• Chilli Chicken — Chicken pieces fried with ginger, garlic, cornflour and soya sauce.

Rice Dishes

• Saada Chawal — Plain steamed basmati rice.
• Jeera Rice / Peas Pulao — Cumin-scented rice or peas pulao.
• Kashmiri Pulao — Fragrant Kashmiri-style pulao.
• Vegetable Biryani — Aromatic biryani with vegetables.
• Chicken or Lamb Biryani — Biryani with your choice of chicken or lamb.

Charcoal Tandoor

• Paneer Tikka — Homemade Indian cheese marinated in yoghurt and spices; six pieces.
• Soya Chaap Tikka — Soya chaap marinated in spices and yoghurt, cooked over charcoal; five pieces.
• Tandoori Mushroom — Mushrooms marinated in traditional masala with herbs, spices and yoghurt, tandoor-cooked.
• Tandoori Malai Broccoli — Fresh broccoli marinated in cheese, butter and fresh ground spices, tandoor-cooked.
• Tandoori Fish Amritsari — Fish marinated in traditional masala with herbs and spices, slowly cooked in the tandoor.
• Tandoori King Prawn — King prawns marinated with herbs, spices and a touch of cream; eight pieces.
• Murghi Tikka — Chicken marinated in spices and yoghurt, skewered and roasted in the tandoor; six pieces.
• Tandoori Chicken — Chicken marinated in traditional masala with herbs, spices and yoghurt, tandoor-cooked.
• Lamb Chops — Fresh ginger flavoured young lamb cutlets in yoghurt and tandoor masala; three pieces.

Seafood In Curries

• Prawn Saagwala / Fish Saagwala — Saagwala curry with your choice of prawn or fish.
• Prawn Malabari / Fish Malabari — Malabari curry with your choice of prawn or fish.
• Prawn Madrass / Fish Madrass — Madrass curry with your choice of prawn or fish.
• Prawn Masala / Fish Masala — Masala curry with your choice of prawn or fish.

Vegetarian Curries

• Dal Makhni — Slow-cooked lentils finished makhani-style.
• Tarka Daal — Comforting tempered lentil daal.
• Paneer Makhni — Homemade paneer in a buttery makhani gravy.
• Kadai Paneer — Paneer cooked kadai-style with spices.
• Matar Paneer — Paneer and green peas curry.
• Mushroom Masala — Mushrooms in a masala gravy.
• Veg Jalfrezi — Mixed vegetables in jalfrezi-style sauce.
• Veg Korma — Vegetables in a korma-style curry.
• Kadai Chaap — Soya chaap cooked kadai-style.
• Aloo Gobi — Potato and cauliflower classic.
• Butter Vegetables — Mixed vegetables in a buttery sauce.

Curries From The Pot

• Tikka Masala — House tikka masala curry with your choice of chicken or lamb; served with basmati rice.
• Korma — Korma curry with your choice of chicken or lamb; served with basmati rice.
• Jalfrezi — Jalfrezi curry with your choice of chicken or lamb; served with basmati rice.
• Vindaloo — Vindaloo curry with your choice of chicken or lamb; served with basmati rice.
• Madrass — Madrass curry with your choice of chicken or lamb; served with basmati rice.
• Saagwala — Saagwala curry with your choice of chicken or lamb; served with basmati rice.
• Kadai — Kadai curry with your choice of chicken or lamb; served with basmati rice.
• Mango — Mango curry with your choice of chicken or lamb; served with basmati rice.

Chef Signature Specials

• Murg Makhani (Butter Chicken) — The most popular Indian dish, cooked in a mild butter sauce with a touch of fenugreek.
• Hariyali Paneer — Homemade cottage cheese cooked in a spinach gravy with fresh tomatoes, herbs and spices.
• Baigan Bharta — Eggplant roasted in the tandoor, then mashed and cooked with garlic and spices.
• Goan Fish & Prawn — A classic Goan specialty curry cooked in a creamy sauce with mustard and capsicum.
• Lamb Rogan Josh — Lamb cooked with aromatic cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, coriander and garam masala.
• Lamb Shank — Lamb shank with aromatic cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, coriander and garam masala.
• Goat Curry — Goat meat cooked with cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, coriander and garam masala.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Gunpowder Indian Restaurant & Bar in Christchurch, and how do I contact it?

The City Centre branch is at 53 Victoria Street, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8013. Phone +64 3 420 0077.

What are the opening hours?

Open seven days. Lunch runs 11:30am–2:00pm, Monday to Friday. Dinner is 4:30pm–9:30pm Monday to Thursday and Sunday, and 4:30pm–11:59pm on Friday and Saturday. The kitchen closes between lunch and dinner services.

Can I book a table or order online?

Yes — both table bookings and online ordering are available through the Gunpowder website.

Are there vegan, dairy-free or gluten-free options?

Yes. There is a dedicated vegan menu, and diners with dairy-free or gluten-free requests are asked to speak with the duty manager. All mains are served with basmati rice.

What is the Gunpowder Banquet?

A set banquet: a starter of samosa, onion bhaji and Gunpowder special tikka, then each guest chooses one main from the menu, served with basmati rice and plain naan bread.

Is there a bar?

Yes — Gunpowder is a restaurant and bar, with a separate drinks menu alongside the dining menu.

Does Gunpowder host functions and events?

Yes — the restaurant offers functions and events, and gift cards can be purchased for the Christchurch City branch. Enquire via the website.

Tips

• {"body":"Lunch ends at 2:00pm and dinner starts at 4:30pm, with the kitchen closed in between — plan around the gap if you're timing a visit.","title":"Mind the afternoon break"}
• {"body":"Friday and Saturday dinner service runs until 11:59pm, making Gunpowder a solid option for a late evening meal in the central city.","title":"Go late on weekends"}
• {"body":"The Gunpowder Banquet handles the decisions for you — shared starters, a main of each guest's choice, plus basmati rice and plain naan.","title":"Order the banquet for groups"}
• {"body":"There's a dedicated vegan menu, and the duty manager can help with dairy-free and gluten-free requests.","title":"Flag dietary needs early"}
• {"body":"If you're north of Christchurch, Gunpowder also has an Amberley branch at 121 Carters Road, open seven days.","title":"Two branches in Canterbury"}

Good to know

• {"family":"Welcomes locals, travellers, business guests and families.","dietary":"Dedicated vegan menu; ask the duty manager about dairy-free and gluten-free requests."}